People turn emotional in funerals of militants, associates; won’t return bodies of slain youth: IGP

Srinagar: Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar, on Monday said that the three South Kashmir youth killed in Lawaypora gunfight in December were militants and police will soon convince their parents with “concrete evidence”.

He said that the bodies of “militants” are not handed over to families in view of the COVID-19 pandemic as people are feared to assemble in funerals and break the protocol.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a Road Safety Week function in Srinagar, IGP Kumar said, “We have collected 60 per cent evidence and in the following days, we will collect more evidence including the technical one and will first convince the parents of the slain trio that their sons were involved in militancy and were providing logistic support to militants.”

While replying to a query that father of one of the youth killed in Lawaypora gunfight has demanded the body of his son, IGP Kumar said that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, bodies of slain militants are not being handed over to their families.

“In case of civilians’ funerals, the protocol is followed by people. But people turn emotional during the funerals of militants and their associates and throng in hundreds and thousands thus breaking the protocol,” he said.

“We buried the youth killed in the [Lawaypora] gunfight in presence of their families and there is no point in returning the bodies.”

He said that youth are being lured into militancy as OGWs as they are being provided with pistols and grenades. “Yesterday, we arrested a youth from Anantnag, alongwith a pistol and grenade, who was tasked to kill someone. We are at it and will counter the trend through human tracking and this is our top priority,” he said.

About arrangements for January 26, the IGP said that militants would try to disrupt the function but police will ensure all such attempts are foiled.

About the recent development regarding fake call centres, he said there will be a separate presser for the same. (KNO)